So Much More Than Having a Kit & Making a Plan

by Catherine L. FeinmanWed, September 20, 2017

For years, emergency preparedness professionals have been preaching the message, “Have a Kit, Make a Plan.” As a result, everyone is now ready for the next disaster … of course not. In its latest survey, DomPrep explored levels of preparedness, reasons why people do not plan, as well as possible solutions to reach those who have not yet bought in to the traditional messaging efforts.

Keep in mind that the “Personal & Family Preparedness” survey conducted in August 2017 was taken by DomPrep’s readers, who are primarily comprised of middle and upper management professionals in fields related to emergency preparedness and response: public health, law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, emergency management, military, private sector, academia, all levels of government, and so on. Although these professionals prepare for emergencies on a regular basis, they are not always personally prepared. However, they should be for two key reasons:

By being personally prepared, emergency personnel are more likely to rapidly respond when needed.

By ensuring that others are personally prepared, emergency personnel can focus their knowledge, skills, abilities, and resources where they are most needed during a crisis.

Key Survey Findings

Comparing DomPrep readers’ responses to the August 2017 with responses to the same questions in a 2011 survey, the survey revealed two key findings:

The concern among respondents has decreased significantly in every disaster event category (see Figure 1).

The number of respondents taking steps to be more prepared has increased only marginally in all categories (see Figure 2).

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

Despite years of campaigns promoting personal and family preparedness and the need for a “go kit,” 25% of survey respondent still do not heed that advice. As for the sharp decline in percentages of disaster events that raise great concern, it is worth asking the following questions: Have these threats actually decreased? Are communities simply more prepared for these threats? Have the perceptions about threats and risks changed? Or have emergency preparedness professionals become more complacent? Although this survey cannot answer these questions, it does provide a wealth of information on why some people still do not take steps to prepare for emergencies and informed recommendations for how to build personal preparedness.

Of the 755 people who responded to the August 2017 survey, 67 (almost 9%) reported that they have not yet begun to take steps to be personally more resilient. One respondent from an academic institution stated, “These are good reminders that I need to get my butt to work on this list!” Others reported being very prepared. “I have an extensive background in emergency management and have used this knowledge to help prepare family and friends for emergency situations and will continue to do so,” said one retired respondent. And others are somewhere in the middle. “My preparations ebb and flow. Just last week, my wife and I promised to freshen our emergency kit. We still haven’t done it. There are some very stale granola bars in there,” said a respondent from a privately owned company.

Reasons for Not Preparing & Suggested Recommendations

Survey respondents provided various reasons that people still do not engage in personal and family preparedness efforts: apathy, conflicting priorities, financial burdens, mobility concerns, educational gaps, locational knowledge, and communication gaps. For each of these preparedness hurdles, survey respondents shared ideas for how emergency preparedness professionals can help community members overcome the challenges preventing them from developing personal and family preparedness plans and kits.

Apathy

Emphasize the fact that the government and first responders may not be available immediately following a disaster.

Discuss plans for evacuation and sheltering in place for all family members (e.g., children, elderly, pets).

Team up with animal shelters to promote pet preparedness and reduce pet-related noncompliance when evacuation orders are in place.

Educational gaps

Research and promote checklists for items that have helped actual victims during real events.

Provide community workshops to help families develop their own disaster plans and back up plans.

Suggest where and how to secure valuables, documents, and irreplaceable items.

Offer hands-on training programs to community members.

Involve children in the emergency planning process.

Join and/or support preparedness efforts through local organizations, such as Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), Medical Reserve Corps, Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), faith-based organizations, and community associations.

Post contact lists for community members to reach local emergency preparedness and response agencies with pertinent questions.

Host preparedness fairs to share information.

Remind families that daily communication methods (e.g., cellphones) may not be accessible during a disaster or power outage, so it is critical to have a family reunification plan in place.

Share the benefits of and information related to becoming an amateur radio operator.

Do not assume that information shared is information received and implemented. Repetition is key.

Conclusion

Focusing events like Hurricanes Harvey and Irma may provide the opportunity to convey critical messaging about personal and family preparedness. Although there is no single solution for building personal and family preparedness, emergency preparedness professionals can play a critical role in furthering such preparedness efforts. It may still take experiencing the adverse effects of an actual event before some people recognize a threat and the value of having a pre-disaster plan, but emergency preparedness professionals must keep promoting the message. “All my friends think I am crazy for always talking about the what ifs. I just hope they take some of what I say to heart and put a bug out bag together for each person/pets in the house,” said one emergency management respondent. A little “crazy” may be what it takes to implement fundamental change.

Catherine L. Feinman, M.A., joined Team DomPrep in January 2010. She has 30 years of publishing experience and currently serves as editor-in-chief of the DomPrep Journal, www.DomesticPreparedness.com, and the DPJ Weekly Brief, and works with writers and other contributors to build and create new content that is relevant to the emergency preparedness, response, and resilience communities. She also volunteers as an emergency medical technician, firefighter, and member of the Media Advisory Panel of EMP SIG (InfraGard National Members Alliance’s Electro-Magnetic Pulse Special Interest Group). She received a bachelor’s degree in international business from University of Maryland, College Park, and a master’s degree in emergency and disaster management from American Military University.